Rahul Gandhi loses Lok Sabha membership, Congress wishes 'Om Shanti' to democracy

New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who has been convicted in a defamation case by a Surat court, has received a disqualification notification released by the Lok Sabha secretariat, which has been flagged by the opposition as contrary to precedent.

The Lok Sabha secretariat notification reads: "Shri Rahul Gandhi, Member of Lok Sabha representing the Wayanad Parliamentary Constituency of Kerala stands disqualified from the membership of Lok Sabha from the date of his conviction i.e. 23 March 2023 in terms of the provisions of Article 102(1)(e) of the Constitution of India read with Section 8 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951."

Soon after the notification disqualifying Rahul Gandhi was released, opposition MPs, after holding a brief meeting with the Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, protested at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. The protestors raised slogans and brandished posters that warned "Democracy is in Danger".

Meanwhile, Congress leaders criticized the Lok Sabha secretariat's decision to revoke the Parliament membership of Rahul Gandhi. Senior Congress leader Manish Tewari said that the authority to disqualify a member has been bestowed upon the President, who has to do it with the consultation of the Election Commission.

Through a tweet, another senior Congress leader, Shashi Tharoor, said that the disqualification can only be seen as a sign of danger to democracy. Sharing the notification, Tharoor's tweet reads, "I'm stunned by this action and its rapidity, within 24 hours of the court verdict and while an appeal was known to be in process. This is politics with the gloves off, and it bodes ill for our democracy."

Congress spokesperson Jairam Ramesh said, "We will fight this battle both legally and politically. We will not be intimidated or silenced. Instead of a JPC probe into the PM-linked Adani Maha Mega Scam, Rahul Gandhi stands disqualified. Indian Democracy Om Shanti."

Congress leader and Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhi was on Thursday sentenced to two years in jail in a 2019 criminal defamation case filed against him for his alleged “Modi surname” remarks. Moments later, the court granted him bail, and stayed its order for a period of 30 days so the Congress leader can appeal in a higher court. But apparently the Lok Sabha secretariat has not taken that stay in consideration when it acted so fast.